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May 11, 2018 · Terminal. Released May 11, 2018 1 hr. 36 min. Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama TRAILER for Terminal: Trailer 1 List. 21% 68 Reviews Tomatometer 37% 500+ Ratings Audience Score In the dark heart of a ...
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Jul 22, 2023. Mar 12, 2022. When Viktor Navorski (Tom...
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May 11, 2018 · In the dark heart of a sprawling, anonymous city, Terminal follows the twisting tales of two assassins carrying out a sinister mission, a teacher battling a fatal illness, an enigmatic janitor and a curious waitress leading a dangerous double life. Murderous consequences unravel in the dead of night as their lives all intertwine at the hands of a mysterious criminal mastermind hell-bent on ...
- (20)
- Vaughn Stein
- Not Rated
- 2 min
Jun 18, 2004 · The Terminal. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks have made, in "The Terminal," a sweet and delicate comedy, a film to make you hold your breath, it is so precisely devised. It has big laughs, but it never seems to make an effort for them; it knows exactly, minutely and in every detail who its hero is and remains absolutely consistent to what he ...
- An interesting revenge story that mostly works.
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- Verdict
By Kenneth Seward jr.
Updated: May 9, 2018 4:53 pm
Posted: May 9, 2018 4:33 pm
I’m convinced that writer/director Vaughn Stein is secretly the Riddler. His debut film, Terminal, is my only proof. Far from a bad movie – the strong acting and clever use of classic literature is certainly entertaining – this dark tale twists and turns a little more than it needs to.
Terminal’s story focuses on a few key characters and their interactions with a seemingly deranged waitress. A legendary underworld figure, Mr. Franklin, hires two assassins to take part in a high-profile hit. They aren’t given any details on the target, just a black briefcase with clues leading them to a contact with more information. To mull over the details in a quiet place, the pair of hit men take refuge in a rundown diner. Meanwhile, a grammar school teacher with a terminal illness wanders about a train station at night. His disposition is grim; he isn’t trying to catch a train in the normal sense. Before he can make good on his departure, the teacher’s solitude is invaded by an inquisitive janitor. Their brief chat about train schedules end with a suggestion: a nearby diner where the teacher could get some tea and possibly rethink his travel plans.
While recent trailers let on that this is a revenge story, it’s still difficult to explain the premise without spoiling some of the story. What I can say is that each character eventually ends up at the same diner. The reason for this is obscured by odd happenings and disjointed scenes; time doesn’t always move in a linear fashion here. It is obvious that none of these encounters were left up to chance though. Whether it be acts of violence or a peculiar conversation about suicide, it’s clear that these events were ushered along by hidden hands.
That said, most won’t be prepared for what’s shown towards the end. It won’t be because of some clever misdirection or the culmination of clues that shifts the narrative in an unexpected way. No, it’ll be because a decent portion of the plot was tucked away for later use. This type of writing hurts the overall experience, coming off as cheap – it’s easy to deliver a shocking turn when the audience is kept in the dark.
Like I said, I generally enjoyed Terminal. Vaughn Stein did a good job of world-building, even if the bright neon lights and vacant streets screamed Gotham. Which is somewhat ironic given Margot Robbie’s past portrayal of Harley Quinn – she’s found her niche in intelligent, yet manic characters who delight in their homicidal tendencies. Cold and calculating, this role trumps her comic book criminal thanks to a grounded performance and justifiable reasoning for the madness. I understand her goals. Simon Pegg and Mike Myers provided decent depictions of the sickly teacher and intrusive janitor, respectfully. I say decent, not as a criticism but as a realization that though they weren’t stretched as actors, they were still entertaining.
Terminal is an interesting revenge story that mostly works. There are a few missteps, namely a few wasted characters and a straight forward plot made needlessly complicated. Still, Vaughn Stein should be pleased with what’s here.
May 11, 2018 · The film, directed by Vaughn Stein, takes the neon killer aesthetic popularized by John Wick and Drive and turns it up to 11. Initially, it’s not clear exactly where Myers’ character, a ...
May 11, 2018 · Terminal: Directed by Vaughn Stein. With Margot Robbie, Simon Pegg, Dexter Fletcher, Mike Myers. A film noir taking place in a train terminal at night. Add two male assassins, a female assassin, a waitress, a teacher, a janitor, and a crime boss.
